What is IBSA framework?

• The ninth edition of the India-Brazil-South Africa Maritime (IBSAMAR) exercise concluded at Simon’s Town, South Africa, on October 20. 

• The trilateral maritime exercise brought together the Indian, Brazilian and South African navies with the aim of enhancing interoperability, strengthening maritime cooperation and promoting mutual understanding amongst the participating forces.

• IBSAMAR has been conducted biennially since 2008 under the India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) framework and has emerged as an important platform for collective training and exchange of operational best practices amongst the three navies. 

• The theme of IBSAMAR IX was ‘Stronger Together Towards a Shared Future in the Maritime Domain’. 

• It aims to promote collective maritime security and preparedness to address maritime challenges.

• The current edition IBSAMAR IX holds significance in the context of furthering maritime cooperation and security in the Indian Ocean Region. 

• Indian Naval Ship Tarkash, a frontline guided missile stealth frigate of the Indian Navy, participated in the ten-day exercise.

• The South African Navy participated with SAS Amatola, SAS King Sekhukhune I and SAS Adam Kok III, along with SAS Manthatisi submarine. Brazil participated with BNS Barroso, embarked with one integral Lynx helicopter.

What is IBSA?

• IBSA is a unique forum which brings together India, Brazil and South Africa, three large democracies and major economies from three different continents, facing similar challenges. 

• The grouping was formalised and named the IBSA Dialogue Forum when the foreign ministers of the three countries met in Brasilia on June 6, 2003 and issued the Brasilia Declaration.

• The IBSA has emerged as a key tripartite grouping for the promotion of cooperation in a range of areas.

• IBSA’s success demonstrates, most vividly, the desirability and feasibility of South-South cooperation beyond the conventional areas of exchange of experts and training. 

• The IBSA Fund is a special feature of IBSA collaboration, an internationally recognised initiative of South-South cooperation, with over 50 projects in 40 countries.

Cooperation in IBSA is on three fronts:

a) As a forum for consultation and coordination on global and regional political issues, such as, the reform of the global institutions of political and economic governance, WTO/Doha Development Agenda, climate change, terrorism, etc.

b) Trilateral collaboration on concrete areas/projects, through fourteen working groups and six People-to-People Forums, for the common benefit of three countries.

c) Assisting other developing countries by taking up projects in the latter through IBSA Fund.